Because You Loved Me
by kraYzie gaL
Summary: Rukawa is famous for his coldness to everything except basketball. Yet, when a girl he has known comes back after many years away from Japan, she will change his life... in more ways than one.
1. I'm Back!

Because You Loved Me  
  
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk does not belong to me. If it did. well, let's just say that I'd be one of the happiest people in the world. And I'm not.  
  
  
  
That which is loved is always beautiful - A Norwegian Proverb  
  
  
  
  
  
Kimizu Reika  
  
I coughed as loud as I could. Not just a normal, ladylike little choking sound. But a hacking, wheezing, cringe inducing racket. That did the trick. People immediately cleared a path for me into the basketball court while I started sniffling and wiping my nose with a sleeve. I grinned inwardly at their disgusted faces. Thanks for teaching me that, onii-chan! I dropped the act as soon as I found a place in the crowded area with the same technique. Looking around, I spotted Rukawa Kaede. I was tempted to pull a face at him; thankfully I managed to restrain myself. I merely bought a drink and settled down to watch the basketball game between Shohoku and Ryonan.  
  
Rukawa Kaede  
  
I nearly dropped the basketball I held in my hands when I saw her. With the same mischievous, monkey smile she had when we first met. She saw me. And winked. I almost did the same. Then I remembered who I was. The Ice Prince of Shohoku. I turned around, steely determination in my eyes. We were going to win this game. Even if it killed me.  
  
Sendoh Akira  
  
Whistling merrily, I slapped high fives with the members of Ryonan's basketball team. "Hey! Good morning, people! Set to win?" I flashed an impossibly brilliant smile. "Konnichiwa Sendoh-sempai! Yosh! Let's beat them!" the team chorused enthusiastically. "Who's that girl?" "I've never seen her before." "She's really pretty, ne?" I listened in amusement as the team started babbling frenetically. "Let me see. I'll be the judge of that!" I declared. Scanning the crowd with helpful pointers from the excited team, I spotted her. Sitting on a chair, she was undoubtedly the prettiest girl I had ever seen. With long, flowing dark brown hair that was almost black, she was striking, even from a distance. A smile was on her pale pink lips, almost like a child's with so much mischief. That was all I could glimpse. The game was about to begin. I tore my eyes off her and concentrated on the game.  
  
Kimizu Reika  
  
"Go, Shohoku! Go, Kaede!" I instinctively jumped to my feet, cheering and whooping. Hey! He almost smiled! I laughed to myself. Then, I saw girls staring at me. As if they wanted to murder me. If looks could kill, I'd be dead at their feet right now. What's their problem? I realized I had just voiced out my own thoughts. They glared at me even more. They seemed to expect me to crumble at their feet, begging for forgiveness. Forgiveness for what!? Instead, I just smiled at them in amusement and asked, "You're all Kaede's girlfriends? Wow. Hahahahahaha! I did tell him he had good looks! You know what? I told him he wouldn't have a single girlfriend; the way he behaves!" They just stared back in me in confusion. Whispers started to fill the air about my supposed relationship with Rukawa. I shrugged and continued watching the game.  
  
Rukawa Kaede  
  
Shohoku High had lost to Ryonan. I wanted to beat something up. Heck, anything would do. For the first time, I actually felt angry enough to show it to the world. Just because she's here.? I shook my head and decided that it just wasn't my lucky day. I slowly made my way to her. Reika. Her name played over and over again in my head, like waves tossing about on a beach. Hey. Since when did I get so poetic anyway? I reached her. She looked up in surprise. And smiled. Why was I angry again?  
  
Kimizu Reika  
  
I smiled at Rukawa. And stood up. I really needed to get away from all those girls anyway. When I took his hand to lead him outside, I felt hundreds of eyes boring into me like a drill. Sheesh. What is their problem? Rukawa let go of my hand abruptly. And instead slung an arm over my shoulder as we walked out.  
  
"Kaede? It's been so long! How's everything going?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------  
  
A/N: R&R, onegai? How was it anyway? ^^ 


	2. 

Because You Loved Me  
  
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk does not belong to me. If it did. well, let's just say that I'd be one of the happiest people in the world. And I'm not.  
  
  
  
That which is loved is always beautiful - A Norwegian Proverb  
  
  
  
  
  
Kimizu Reika  
  
I coughed as loud as I could. Not just a normal, ladylike little choking sound. But a hacking, wheezing, cringe inducing racket. That did the trick. People immediately cleared a path for me into the basketball court while I started sniffling and wiping my nose with a sleeve. I grinned inwardly at their disgusted faces. Thanks for teaching me that, onii-chan! I dropped the act as soon as I found a place in the crowded area with the same technique. Looking around, I spotted Rukawa Kaede. I was tempted to pull a face at him; thankfully I managed to restrain myself. I merely bought a drink and settled down to watch the basketball game between Shohoku and Ryonan.  
  
Rukawa Kaede  
  
I nearly dropped the basketball I held in my hands when I saw her. With the same mischievous, monkey smile she had when we first met. She saw me. And winked. I almost did the same. Then I remembered who I was. The Ice Prince of Shohoku. I turned around, steely determination in my eyes. We were going to win this game. Even if it killed me.  
  
Sendoh Akira  
  
Whistling merrily, I slapped high fives with the members of Ryonan's basketball team. "Hey! Good morning, people! Set to win?" I flashed an impossibly brilliant smile. "Konnichiwa Sendoh-sempai! Yosh! Let's beat them!" the team chorused enthusiastically. "Who's that girl?" "I've never seen her before." "She's really pretty, ne?" I listened in amusement as the team started babbling frenetically. "Let me see. I'll be the judge of that!" I declared. Scanning the crowd with helpful pointers from the excited team, I spotted her. Sitting on a chair, she was undoubtedly the prettiest girl I had ever seen. With long, flowing dark brown hair that was almost black, she was striking, even from a distance. A smile was on her pale pink lips, almost like a child's with so much mischief. That was all I could glimpse. The game was about to begin. I tore my eyes off her and concentrated on the game.  
  
Kimizu Reika  
  
"Go, Shohoku! Go, Kaede!" I instinctively jumped to my feet, cheering and whooping. Hey! He almost smiled! I laughed to myself. Then, I saw girls staring at me. As if they wanted to murder me. If looks could kill, I'd be dead at their feet right now. What's their problem? I realized I had just voiced out my own thoughts. They glared at me even more. They seemed to expect me to crumble at their feet, begging for forgiveness. Forgiveness for what!? Instead, I just smiled at them in amusement and asked, "You're all Kaede's girlfriends? Wow. Hahahahahaha! I did tell him he had good looks! You know what? I told him he wouldn't have a single girlfriend; the way he behaves!" They just stared back in me in confusion. Whispers started to fill the air about my supposed relationship with Rukawa. I shrugged and continued watching the game.  
  
Rukawa Kaede  
  
Shohoku High had lost to Ryonan. I wanted to beat something up. Heck, anything would do. For the first time, I actually felt angry enough to show it to the world. Just because she's here.? I shook my head and decided that it just wasn't my lucky day. I slowly made my way to her. Reika. Her name played over and over again in my head, like waves tossing about on a beach. Hey. Since when did I get so poetic anyway? I reached her. She looked up in surprise. And smiled. Why was I angry again?  
  
Kimizu Reika  
  
I smiled at Rukawa. And stood up. I really needed to get away from all those girls anyway. When I took his hand to lead him outside, I felt hundreds of eyes boring into me like a drill. Sheesh. What is their problem? Rukawa let go of my hand abruptly. And instead slung an arm over my shoulder as we walked out.  
  
"Kaede? It's been so long! How's everything going?"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------  
  
A/N: R&R, onegai? How was it anyway? ^^ 


End file.
